Diamond Blade / Sawing Problem Solving / Trouble Shooting 

Successful diamond sawing is both an art & science. Requiring the proper understanding of how to use speeds and feed rates, coolants, flanges, & material holding fixtures to maximize cutting efficiency, diamond blade and cut quality. While this understanding is best gained through experience, even new diamond blade users can quickly become proficient by learning and applying some basic principles of diamond sawing. We are here to help you get the most out of your diamond sawing operation. BELOW IS A GUIDE OF MOST COMMON DIAMOND SAWING PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS ON HOW TO RESOLVE THEM. If you have a problem than is not addressed by this guide, have a question, need further guidance or assistance please contact us by email, phone, or fax. For urgent support, you can contact us at: Phone: (661) 257-2288. Our experienced engineers will provide valuable suggestions on how to improve you diamond sawing operation. We encourage you to provide as much information as possible on your application problem occurred, and periodically update us on your diamond blade progress.  We also highly encourage you to check the SUPPORT  part of our web site. This will answer most questions you may have.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT DIAMOND BLADE LIFE & PERFORMANCE

Diamond Blade Life & Overall Performance will vary with material hardness, density, thickness, & cutting depth. Few other factors that play a role in diamond blade life & performance include: RPM's (cutting speed), Feed Rate, Geometry (shape) of Material, Coolant being Used, Coolant feed rate and Direction. Cutting Equipment, Material Clamping Method & experience of operator. While there is now way of accurately predicting Life of your diamond blade. It can be optimized by following Principals of Proper Diamond Blade / Tool Usage. There may also be some experimenting, as well as trial & error involved in the part of the end user. Highly experienced diamond blade users may find some variations in diamond blade life or performance even when working on same material & application. While this phenomena is not too common, it does occur. The machining environment around us is constantly changing. A slight change or variation in any variable can have significant impact on your diamond sawing results. Material being cut can vary in composition or density even when coming from same manufacturer or source. Slight change in coolant feed rate, coolant direction, RPM's, even the way the material is held in place can make the difference. Frequently the cause of the problem may not be obvious and may take as much as several failed attempts to surface.

When encountering problems or variation in diamond blade performance. Few stop to think about or carefully examine their cutting process. Many users immediately suspect quality of the diamond blade and are quick in labeling the drill "Defective" or "Poor Quality". This is very rarely the case. Usually in over 90% of these cases the diamond blade itself was not at fault. Most Respectable & Experienced Diamond Blade Manufactures have rigid quality control and inspection processes set in place. Controlling everything from raw material input, output, to final inspection. As well as field test blades randomly. What a number of diamond blade users don't realize the technical aspects & delicate nature of diamond sawing/machining process. What is important to understand is that almost all diamond blade users, regardless of experience or technical background will make some type of an unintended operator error while at some point in their career. With this in mind, UKAM Industrial Superhard Tools has assembled a list of most common diamond blade operator errors made by users in most industries & applications. Looking through this guide will help you  RESOLVE MOST COMMON DIFFICULTIES  you may have in using your diamond blades, as well as  AVOID MOST COMMON PROBLEMS  in the first place.

 

Common Problems

Solution / Prevention

Material Overheating	Not enough coolant. Power water supply. Increase amount of coolant
Material/Saw Vibration	Small flange diameter is the largest cause of blade vibration. Change Blade Tension Slow Down Feed Rate Check saw shaft, it may be worn out Check Flange Tightness, lack of tightness causes vibration Make sure you saw does not vibrate Make sure your table does not vibrate Make sure your table is set up perpendicularly Make sure your material is securely held in place When blade speed slows down, proceed to dress
Excessive Chipping	Use Finer Diamond Mesh (grit size) blade Reduce Speed, RPM & Feed Rate Use appropriate coolant for the material / application such as synthetic water soluble coolant Make sure that your material is securely held in place and does not move while being cut. Check condition of your saw to make sure it is not out of order or parts need replacement Check to see if sufficient amount of coolant is reaching the cutting zone.
Excessive Burrs on Material Edges	Use Finer Diamond Mesh (grit size) blade Reduce RPM and Feed rate as needed Use higher Diamond Concentration Diamond Blade Check to see if sufficient amount of coolant is reaching the cutting zone.
Blade is Cutting Very Slow	Use a dressing stick made from alumina oxide or silicon carbide to dress the blade (sharpen diamonds / rexpose diamond layer) Cut into dressing stock 10 to 20 times. Or as much as necessary, until blade starts near same speed as when it was new. Increase the RPM and Feed Rate as needed
Blade is Not Cutting	Make sure the RPM's recommended for the specific diamond blade you are using Use a dressing stick made from alumina oxide or silicon carbide to dress the blade (sharpen diamonds / rexpose diamond layer) Cut into dressing stock 10 to 20 times. Or as much as necessary, until blade starts near same speed as when it was new. Increase RPM (speed) Improper blade specification. Diamond Concentration, Mesh Size, and Bond Hardness is inappropriate for material being cut. Use different blade with right bond type, hardness, concentration and grit size for material being cut. Contact us for recommendation.
Blade is Wobbling (not cutting straight)	Make sure the size of flanges on your cutting machine are appropriate for use with blade diameter and thickness you are using. Make sure the exposure of blade is appropriate for size and dimensions of material you are cutting. Increase size of your saw flanges by using diamond wheel stiffeners. If blade is dished, send to us to flatten or purchase new diamond wheel. Check condition of your saw to make sure it is not out of order or parts need replacement
Short Blade Life	Improper blade specification. Diamond Concentration, Mesh Size, and Bond Hardness is inappropriate for material being cut. Use different blade with right bond type, hardness, concentration and grit size for material being cut. Contact us for recommendation.  Check to see if sufficient amount of coolant is reaching the cutting zone. Make sure the exposure of blade is appropriate for size and dimensions of material you are cutting.
Low cutting rates	Smeared material on the blade Too low a cutting speed and/or load   Redress blade at <100 grams force and <200 rpm speed  Increase cutting speeds and loads  Rotate specimen to minimize cutting area
Blade Diamond Section Breakage	Improper blade dressing Insufficient clamping of the specimen Too high an initial load   Distribute Coolant Evenly  Secure specimen with a rubber mounting pad  Reduce initial loading to set cutting kerf